Can You Believe It’s Been a Year Already?

Can you believe it’s been a year already? Thanks to you and so many others, one year ago this week Washington’s Legislature passed Paid Family and Medical Leave.It means starting in January 2020, all workers in our state will be able to take 12 to 18 weeks of leave to care for a new child, a seriously ill family member, their own serious health condition, or cope with a family member’s military deployment. Do you want learn about all the details?

What’s been happening during the last 12 months? Members of the Washington Work and Family Coalition along with colleagues from the business community have been busy working with staff from the new Paid Family and Medical Leave Office to get the program off the ground, including developing computer systems, program rules, and application procedures so the program is simple and fair for both workers and employers.

PFML is an insurance-type system. Starting in January 2019, both workers and their employers will start contributing to the fund through small payroll deductions. That means a year later when people begin applying for benefits, the money will be there. You can see examples of premium and benefit amounts here.

What can you do now? Help spread the word, so everyone who needs this program knows about it!

48 millionaires sent a letter to NY Gov Cuomo and the State Assembly as lawmakers weigh proposals for closing the state's $2.3 billion deficit—arguing that raising their taxes could provide the state with an additional $2 to 3 billion per year. https://t.co/kf0nec4OKk